The present invention relates generally to spiral and other ring-type binders and more particularly to bookmarks, rulers, post-it holders, paper pages and other apparatus configured for removable insertion in spiral or other ring-type binders.
A great many spiral and other ring-type binders have been developed for retaining a plurality of separate pages or other loose-leaf elements therein. These ring-type binders typically include a plurality of loose-leaf page retaining members positioned longitudinally between opposing ends of such binders. The page retaining members are configured to extend through corresponding apertures in the preferred loose-leaf elements thereby retaining the loose-leaf elements in the ring-type binder.
In some ring-type binders, the page retaining members include two separable members which, then adjoined, form a loop for retaining loose-leaf elements. These separable page retaining members are configured to permit the user to insert loose-leaf elements in the binder and to remove or replace loose-leaf elements retained therein.
In other ring-type binders, the page retaining members do not separate in a manner which enables the user to insert or replace loose-leaf elements. These ring-type binders may take the form of a conventional spiral or other notebooks wherein the loose leafs are fixed therein using a continuous wire member configured in a helix or other manner so as to define a plurality of loose-leaf page retaining members.
In many instances, it is desirable to provide these binders with a bookmark, ruler, post-it holder, a paper page, stencil or other device which may be removably inserted therein. A variety of removable rulers and other inserts are presently available which include a straight longitudinal edge having one or more apertures adjacent thereto configured to receive the page retaining members of a conventional three or six-ring binder. However, there are several problems with these removable inserts. First of all, such inserts can only be used with ring-type binders having separable page retaining members. Secondly, the placement of such inserts within such ring-type binders can only be accomplished after considerable manipulation of both the binder and the insert. The user must first manipulate the page retaining members, or a lever connected thereto, so as to cause the page retaining members to separate. Thereafter, the user must position the removable insert over the page retaining members so as to align each aperture over its corresponding page retaining member. After this is done, the removable insert must be lowered onto the binder whereupon the page retaining members are slidably received by the apertures. Thereafter, the operator must again manipulate the page retaining members or the levers connected thereto so as to effect closure of the page retaining members.
Thus, it is seen that such removable inserts are not easily used by the operator. Additionally, it is seen that such removable inserts are not insertable into spiral or other ring-type binders wherein the page retaining members are not configured for insertion or removal of loose-leaf elements.
Some of the foregoing problems have been overcome by providing a removable insert in the form of a thin flexible body member having a straight longitudinal edge with three or six recesses therein. The recesses are positioned to correspond with the page retaining members of a conventional separable ring-type binder. The recesses include an enlarged portion disposed inwardly from the longitudinal edge for receiving the corresponding page retaining member and a constricted channel adjacent the longitudinal edge through which the corresponding page retaining member passes by flexion of the portion of the insert defining the constricted channel.
In order that this second type of insert be fixed securely within a conventional separable ring-type binder, the insert must be positioned within the binder such that each recess is aligned with its corresponding page retaining member. Thereafter, the portions of the insert defining each recess must be manipulated so as to squeeze the page retaining members into the enlarged portions of the corresponding recesses.
While this second type of insert can be removed from a ring-type binder without manipulation of the separable page retaining members and thus may be easier to use than the first type of insert described above, the user must nonetheless exercise considerable manual dexterity to effect placement of the insert on a ring-type binder.
Notably, this second type of removable insert (which typically includes three or six recesses corresponding to the page retaining member of a conventional separable three or six-ring binder) is not insertable in conventional double spiral or other single spiral binders wherein the number of page retaining members positioned adjacent the longitudinal edge of the insert exceeds the number of recesses provided therefore. This is due the lack of clearance (discussed hereinafter) provided for the additional page retaining members.
It would thus be desirable to provide a removable insert which can be used with all types of ring-type binders and which can be easily inserted in such binders without requiring any difficult manipulation of the removable insert or the ring-type binder.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to disclose and provide a removable insert adapted for use with all types of ring-type binders.
It is a further object of the present invention to disclose and provide such a removable insert which can be inserted into all types of ring-type binders without requiring any difficult manipulation thereof.
It is also an object of the present invention to disclose and provide such a removable insert which can be manufactured at a low cost.
Generally stated, a removable insert that satisfies the foregoing objects includes a body member which is sufficiently thin to be insertable in a ring-type binder, a hooking element connected to, or integral with, the body member which defines a longitudinally extending recess configured to receive at least a first page retaining member, and a fastener connected to, or integral with, the body member configured to detachably secure the body member to a second page retaining member.
As a feature of the present invention, the longitudinal extending recess in the hooking element is configured to receive the first page retaining member in a loose fitting relation.
As another feature of the present invention, the longitudinally extending recess includes a divergent opening for receiving a first page retaining member within the recess.
As another feature of the present invention, the hooking element includes a journal bearing about which the insert may be rotated.
As an additional feature of the present invention, the fastener is spaced apart at a predetermined distance from the journal bearing such that, upon rotation of the insert about the journal bearing, the fastener may be moved into engagement with a second page retaining member.
As yet another feature of the present invention, the fastener defines a recess, including an enlarged portion for receiving the second page retaining member in a loose fitting relation and a constricted channel adjacent thereto through which the second page retaining member may only pass by flexion of the fastener, the second page retaining member, or both.
As yet another feature of the present invention, the constricted channel defined by the fastener diverges at the end adjacent the longitudinal edge to facilitate insertion of the second page retaining member into the enlarged portion of the fastener.
As yet a further feature of the present invention, the constricted channel defined by a fastener diverges at the end adjacent the enlarged portion of the fastener to facilitate the removal of the second page retaining member from the enlarged portion of the fastener.
As yet another feature of the present invention, the hooking element and the fastener each extend laterally from a longitudinal edge of the insert so as to provide a clearance for any page retaining members positioned between the hooking element and the fastener when the insert is in an assembled relation to a preferred binder.
As yet another feature of the present invention, the hooking element and fastener are integrally formed with the thin body member.
As yet one more feature of the present invention, the body member, the hooking element and the fastener are molded or otherwise formed from a flexible material such as plastic or rigid vinyl.
As yet another feature of the present invention, the hooking element and the fastener can be formed from mylar or similar material that is bonded to plain paper.
As yet another feature of the present invention, the hooking element and the fastener can be formed from mylar or similar material that is bonded to a sheet of plain paper.
Advantageously, a removable insert in accordance with the present invention may be easily inserted into all types of ring-type binders, e.g., 3-ring or double spiral ring binders. The insert generally comprises a thin body and a first page retaining member and a fastener. The thin body typically has a thickness of about between 0.015 and 0.030 inches. However, the thin body may have a thickness of up to 0.0625 inches in some circumstances. Moreover, the thin body may be a paper page as thin as 0.003 inches having reinforcements.
The operator need only hook the hooking element around the first page retaining member so as to position the first page retaining member within the longitudinally extending recess defined by the hooking element and thereafter rotate the insert about the first page retaining member so as to bring the fastener into engagement with a second page retaining member. While the fastener must thereafter be manipulated so as to position the second page retaining member within the enlarged portion of the fastener, the operator need only manipulate a single fastener rather than plurality of such fasteners to effect placement of the insert in assembled relation to a preferred ring-type binder.
For example, the removable insert may be positioned in assembled relation to a ring-type binder by hooking the hooking element around the first page retaining member so as to position the first page retaining member within the journal bearing. Thereafter, the insert is rotated and/or otherwise manipulated so as to bring the fastener into engagement with a second page retaining member. Once the fastener is adjacent the second page retaining member, the insert is manipulated so as to cause the second page retaining member to pass through the constricted channel into the enlarged portion of the fastener by flexion of the fastener, the second page retaining member, or both.
It is submitted that those skilled in the art will obtain a better understanding of the construction and mode of operation of the present invention as well as become aware of the additional advantages and objects thereof from a consideration of the following description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention taken in combination with the accompanying drawings which are described hereinafter.